Interfaces that combine audio and video on one connection are becoming increasingly popular. Examples of such interfaces include the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and the DisplayPort interface. HDMI refers to technology based, at least in part, on any of the HDMI specifications including, for example, version 1.1 released on May 20, 2004. DisplayPort refers to technology based, at least in part, on any of the DisplayPort standards including, for example, the “DisplayPort 1.1 Standard” promulgated by the Video Electronics Standards Association (Apr. 2, 2007). The consumer electronics industry, in particular, provides a large number of products that implement the HDMI interface.
The adoption of these interfaces presents a challenge to the computer industry because, within a typical computer, the audio and video processing units are not located in the same components. Instead, the video processing unit is typically connected to one element of a chipset (e.g., a graphics add-in card connected to (or integrated with) a memory controller hub) and the audio processing unit is typically connected to another element of the chipset (e.g., a high-definition audio controller connected to (or integrated with) an input/output controller hub).